Burn, baby, BUUURRNNNN! 9E's latest memo...

[PCL_128]

Let me think...... needless fuel burn while in flight with passengers on borad......... I like the pen idea better.

I like both ideas. It's not the fuel burn that really matters on the APU, by the way. What matters is the operating time. Pinnacle pays for the APU by a formula that uses a ratio of APU hours to block hours. The more time that the APU is operated, the more they pay, and the penalties can be very hefty.

 

[Redan]

You have a very long way to go to measure up to what those two pilot groups did...

Run your APU all you like, it won't make a difference. Wanna make a difference?? Run to Office Depot before your next trip and by a refill for your shiny Parker Pen.

The ASA guys got a TA in a month thanks to the "power of the pen". That was the most rewarding and enjoyable month of my flying career thusfar.

Until you're willing to look at the ground spoiler grounding straps or the inflation of the nose wheel strut at the outstation, you're basically pissing into the wind.

Feel free to PM me if you want details on CRJ "no-go" items...........

Well said my fellow Acey veteran! Was quite a lengthy recovery from writer's cramp.

Also important to remember how the AIM suggests taxi at a brisk walking pace for safety's sake. After all, it's all about safety my friends.

 

[Long Time Gone]

What, and jeopardize flying the stretch!!!? They want that thing so badly they're working like good little pilots to keep Delta happy. That'll show 'em! We'll burn an extra 100lbs of fuel on the APU!!!

Don't you mean the "9"? I actually had one of their FOs on my jumpseat tell me he's on the "9". I asked him when Pinnacle starting flying DC-9s, and he responded "No, man, the CRJ-900. Don't you know what that is?". This was, BTW, while sitting in the jumpseat of a "7".imp:

Don't forget about the standby attitude indicator. We wouldn't want that to be more that 200 feet off at altitude and show worse as speed increases. Ya think there might be some water in the system at the outstation?

 

[Flyer1015]

Also important to remember how the AIM suggests taxi at a brisk walking pace for safety's sake. After all, it's all about safety my friends.

Do you have any links for that? I was flying with a Captain taxiing like he was in the Indy500, and I mentioned why are we going so fast? He wouldn't really answer. And then he's like, there is no written thing anywhere about how fast you can go. I mentioned that the AIM says to taxi at a brisk pace, and he's like, no there is nothing like that written.
Would love to find a link for next time.

 

[sweptback]

What, and jeopardize flying the stretch!!!? They want that thing so badly they're working like good little pilots to keep Delta happy. That'll show 'em! We'll burn an extra 100lbs of fuel on the APU!!!

Pinnacle pilots have not impressed me so far.

First, they had no problems staffing the -900 operation in a new domicile when they didn't even pay a cent more for it. Then, after years of negotiations they are #1 in on time during the summer months.

Something's not right here.

 

[PCL_128]

Do you have any links for that? I was flying with a Captain taxiing like he was in the Indy500, and I mentioned why are we going so fast? He wouldn't really answer. And then he's like, there is no written thing anywhere about how fast you can go. I mentioned that the AIM says to taxi at a brisk pace, and he's like, no there is nothing like that written.
Would love to find a link for next time.

It's actually not there anymore. They removed it a few years ago. If he'd like some stories of PCL Captains who have gotten in big trouble for injuring FAs because they had to slam on the brakes while taxiing too fast, then have him call me. I barely managed to keep a guy from losing his job who sent an FA flying down the aisle when he hit his brakes while taxiing at 30+ knots.

 

[Smarta$$]

Pinnacle pilots have not impressed me so far.

First, they had no problems staffing the -900 operation in a new domicile when they didn't even pay a cent more for it. Then, after years of negotiations they are #1 in on time during the summer months.

Something's not right here.

Unfortunately, I agree.

 

[PCL_128]

First, they had no problems staffing the -900 operation in a new domicile when they didn't even pay a cent more for it.

You expect them to just not show up for work? Give me a break.

The PCL pilots have held strong on their contract demands. I didn't see anyone attacking the ASA pilots after 5+ years of contract talks when they still hadn't started a work-to-rule effort. The PCL pilots have a ways to go before they reach that length of time in Section 6. Give them time to reach critical mass on a work-to-rule effort.

 

[sweptback]

You expect them to just not show up for work? Give me a break.

No, but it bugs me when senior pilots bid it just because they get to fly a bigger airplane.

Of course, I think the same thing would happen at my airline, or any other airline (pilots are are own worst enemy). We're just not in Section 6 right now.

 

[PCL_128]

No, but it bugs me when senior pilots bid it just because they get to fly a bigger airplane.

Why does it bug you? They get paid more for it. Yes, they didn't get the money right away, but they had it in their contract that they would get retro pay as soon as the arbitrated rate was set. They knew from the minute that they bid the plane that they were getting a raise. Would you rather have the junior pilots on the lower pay rates bid the plane? That just rewards the airline.

 

[DoinTime]

Pinnacle pilots have not impressed me so far.

First, they had no problems staffing the -900 operation in a new domicile when they didn't even pay a cent more for it.

Most of the time your posts are pretty intelligent but this one is downright dumb. Our contract provides for a means at coming up with a new pay rate for new equipment (its actually identical to ASA language). Unfortunately, in this case we had to arbitrate it and that takes time. Everyone got paid back to their start of service in the airplane and to some that was near $10,000 worth in backpay. It would have been no skin off of the company's back to put all new hires in the ATL operation (in fact they would have liked it that way). We had Comair refuges lined up waiting for those left seat jobs at first year pay.

 

[Smacktard]

Don't you mean the "9"? I actually had one of their FOs on my jumpseat tell me he's on the "9". I asked him when Pinnacle starting flying DC-9s, and he responded "No, man, the CRJ-900. Don't you know what that is?". This was, BTW, while sitting in the jumpseat of a "7".imp:

Don't forget about the standby attitude indicator. We wouldn't want that to be more that 200 feet off at altitude and show worse as speed increases. Ya think there might be some water in the system at the outstation?

My bad, I meant the "9". You get to wear your eppelets backwards when you fly it, right? Or is that limited to Mesaba?

 

[sweptback]

Most of the time your posts are pretty intelligent but this one is downright dumb. Our contract provides for a means at coming up with a new pay rate for new equipment (its actually identical to ASA language). Unfortunately, in this case we had to arbitrate it and that takes time. Everyone got paid back to their start of service in the airplane and to some that was near $10,000 worth in backpay. It would have been no skin off of the company's back to put all new hires in the ATL operation (in fact they would have liked it that way). We had Comair refuges lined up waiting for those left seat jobs at first year pay.

I understand how new equipment pay arbitration works. We've been through it in my time at ASA with the 700, although the parties reached a LOA before it got to the last step.

However, I know nothing about your contract, but bidding a new equipment type usually involves some sort of seat lock. To bid the 900, then be disappointed with the payrate or QOL, and bid back to the 200 may not be possible. It's a pretty big risk to take, unless you commuted from ATL or just wanted to fly the sweet new airplane.

If your contract doesn't have a seat lock then it's not that big of an issue. For the record, the 700 at ASA went fairly junior at first until the number of lines increased and the QOL improved, and that was with a higher payrate.

 

[OCP]

You expect them to just not show up for work? Give me a break.

The PCL pilots have held strong on their contract demands. I didn't see anyone attacking the ASA pilots after 5+ years of contract talks when they still hadn't started a work-to-rule effort. The PCL pilots have a ways to go before they reach that length of time in Section 6. Give them time to reach critical mass on a work-to-rule effort.

So why isn't PCL learning from ASA's mistake? It took a LONG time for us to get together and finally work as a group. However when we did it took less than a month to get a contract. Every few months posts like this come up and we (ASA) say the same thing to you guys, and nothing happens.

 

[PCL_128]

So why isn't PCL learning from ASA's mistake? It took a LONG time for us to get together and finally work as a group. However when we did it took less than a month to get a contract. Every few months posts like this come up and we (ASA) say the same thing to you guys, and nothing happens.

I agree that they should be doing what you guys did to such great success. But the reality is that it takes a while for people to get pissed off enough to take those sorts of actions. It will reach critical mass at some point. Like you, I wish it was sooner rather than later, but it'll come in due time.